Fallen Star
by LadyCordeliaStuart
Summary: While waiting for her love to return, Jane Foster discovers an unwelcome visitor. This is NOT a romance.
1. A Star Falls

Jane Foster was watching the stars.

Every night was the same. When she couldn't stand another second of equations and calculations, she would slip outside and scan the skies. She was waiting for someone.

Jane's house was a modest cottage on the edge of a quiet suburb. It was close enough to town that transportation wasn't a problem, but remote enough that nobody noticed her nightly vigil. There were a few scattered trees in her yard, but mostly grass of varying lengths.

Jane was sitting on the grass, waiting. The stars looked the same as they always did. She wondered which was the one she was so connected to. She knew it was too far away to be seen, but still she searched.

She wondered if tonight would be any different from all the other nights. How many weeks had it been since she had last seen him? Had he forgotten her? She wouldn't blame him. He had worlds at his fingertips. She was merely one woman.

A star twinkled at her. She turned to look at it, musing on the processes and reactions involved in such a beautiful phenomenon. She wondered if he ever watched the skies.

The star twinkled again. It seemed to pulsate slightly.

Jane looked more intently at the star. Stars don't generally change shape. She scanned for the color change that would indicate a supernova. It pulsated again and visibly grew in size.

Jane began to get to her feet. This called for a telescope. As she started back to her house, she glanced over her shoulder.

_That's not normal_. She thought to herself.

It was quite the understatement. The star was now the size of a golf ball and was increasing rapidly. It was also shooting multicolored sparks and arcing down toward the ground.

Then Jane forgot how to breathe.

_He's Back._

She watched as the star grew until it was larger than the moon. Soon its light blocked out all of the stars. She became aware of an increasingly high-pitched whistling noise.

She could see now that it wasn't a star at all. It was more like a meteor. It was moving too fast to see for sure, but it was something and it was about five seconds away from impact. She could guess what the something was.

She moved back a few steps as a flaming blur crashed into the ground thirty feet across her yard. It didn't make much difference, and she was thrown roughly on her back by what felt like a small earthquake. She was back on her feet in a flash and sprinted toward the crater.

She wasn't sure whether she was shouting or thinking or neither. Her feet were assaulted by an assortment of acorns, loose stones and other debris, but she didn't feel it. She simply ran.

In the darkness she saw a form arranging itself and rising to its feet.

"Thor!" She screamed. She somehow ran faster. And then she stopped.

It wasn't Thor.


	2. Dark Star

He landed nimbly, straightening with the grace that came naturally to him and scanning his new horizon. So this was Earth. He took in the brown sand disdainfully, unimpressed by the lifeless desert surrounding him. What on this ugly planet could possibly hold his foster brother's attention so completely?

Then he saw her, and he knew.

She had been running to him with an expression of pure joy on her face, which radiated such hope and beauty that even he was thrown off for a second. Her form was slender and wonderfully feminine, her eyes soft pools of brown, her chestnut hair whipping around her face in unruly curls.

_So this is Jane Foster,_Loki thought with satisfaction. _This is the woman who conquered my brother_.

He remembered his last confrontation with Thor, battling his brother at Asgard's Bifröst Bridge. Thor had managed to arrive in time to shatter his plans and once again snatch Odin's approval. No matter how hard Loki tried, he could never step outside his foster brother's shadow. And suddenly, any shred of love remaining for his big brother had vanished.

"I don't know what happened on Earth to make you so soft!" he screamed, his mind frenziedly groping for the best way to wound Thor. And then he had it: Jane Foster. "Don't tell me it was that woman? Oh, it was! Well maybe, when we're done here, I'll pay her a visit myself!"

Loki could never have foreseen what happened next; there was no way for him to guess that Thor's love for Jane was so strong that he would destroy the Bifröst Bridge to protect her. At first, as Loki saw the bridge shatter, his resolve had shattered too. But he had more tricks up his sleeve—he always did. Poor Thor, thinking he had saved Jane, when all he had done was cut her off from his protection. Perhaps he was too stupid to know other ways to visit Earth, but Loki had discovered the secret passageways long ago.

And he had waited and planned for the perfect moment to pay Jane Foster a visit. He would wait until Thor's mind was at ease, until Asgard seemed to go back to normal and life had hope once again. Then he would strike Thor where it would hurt the most.

As he saw Jane's expression change from joy to confusion, he felt his heart fill with sadistic glee. This was going to be fun.

Jane knew as soon as the figure straightened that it couldn't be Thor—the outline was far too lean. As she approached closer, she took in the sharp features, piercing dark eyes, ebony hair and pale skin, feeling herself blush as she appreciated the stranger's striking handsomeness. She could tell by his green and gold leather outfit that he was from Asgard, and that reassured her—surely he was an ally of her beloved Thor.

"I—I'm sorry," she apologized automatically as she slowed to a walk. "I thought you were—I mean, I've been expecting…"

"You've been expecting Thor," the stranger said. "I know."

_If he's familiar with Thor, they must be friends_, Jane reasoned, so she stuck her hand out and said with a smile, "Hi, I'm Jane."

The stranger took her hand with an amused smile, sweeping it to his lips with a flourish. "I know."

He didn't let go, even when Jane started to pull her hand away. Suddenly, she didn't feel as safe and carefree. Suddenly, something felt very off. He was watching her so closely, and there was something in his eyes that unsettled her—a secret amusement from a joke she was sure revolved around her.

"Who are you?" she asked, trying to hide her unease behind a smile. "You must be a friend of Thor's. Is he all right? Where is he?"

"Thor's still on the other side of the universe," he replied, his smile widening to reveal glinting teeth. "And I'm not his friend. I'm his brother."

"Loki!" Jane gasped, jerking her hand from his. She took a step backwards instinctively. "What are you doing here?"

"Why, I'm here to see you, of course, dear Jane," Loki replied, taking a long step forward and easily closing the gap between them. "My brother spoke so highly of you, I had to come and… ahem… sample for myself."

Jane felt an almost paralyzing fear well up inside her, but she shoved it down. It wouldn't do to panic. If she could just get back to her house, if she could just get to the basement— Without another word, she turned and ran.


	3. Follow the Stars

Jane raced inside toward her house, twisting to glance back at Loki while being careful not to trip. She slammed the door shut and grabbed for her phone.

It was dead. Whether that was the result of Loki's impact or merely his mischief, she didn't have time to care. She moved to the kitchen, since it was behind another door she could lock, and tried to think.

She knew Loki was an Asgardian, so doors wouldn't last long. In fact, it was probably better to leave the kitchen and find another room with more exits. Before she left, she checked for a weapon. She was a scientist, not a soldier, so she didn't have a gun. The best she could find was a carving knife. She examined it. It was sharp enough, but even if she held it Loki would still have a longer reach, and she wasn't sure she wanted to give him any ideas. She stashed it in an unexpected place in case she needed it later.

There was a knocking at the door. Jane knew she didn't have much time. She mentally scanned her house, calculating the best place to be. Her study- one door led out to the hall, and another led to her bedroom, which was also connected to the hall. She couldn't be cornered there. She darted in just as she heard a crash.

Loki felt no need to go running after Jane. She had nowhere to go, and dignity was its own reward. He sedately walked to her door. Soon Jane would find out what a real man was like. She may struggle at first, but she would come to understand. Before he finished what he came here to do she would be begging for more.

He reached the door. It was locked. He could of course rip it off its hinges, but brute force was so odious. He knocked politely.

There was no answer.

"It is becoming in a woman to practice some modesty." He called from behind the door. "But there are limits to restraint. Won't you let me comfort the woman my brother so rudely abandoned?"

There was still no answer.

"You would deny your prince? You will realize your folly." He said intensely.

He threw himself against the door. He could, of course, find another way in, but there were consideration to be made. Climbing in a window would be simpler but hardly befitting a prince. He had his reputation to think of. An assertion of his power would remind Jane of who she was dealing with.

Loki wasn't as solid as his idiot brother, but the door was made for fragile humans. After two strikes it shattered, and Loki swept into the house.

"Am I so odious, Jane, that you seek to lock yourself away? I only wish to know you more." He purred as he swept his gaze around the room.

Jane was nowhere to be seen.

"Still so shy." Loki continued. "I find your reticence most alluring. I will seek you out like a huntsman seeks a flighty hind."


	4. Stargazing

Jane's heart pounded in her chest as her mind groped for possible strategies. She heard the front door shatter under Loki's assault and fought to control her panic. Any second now he could do the same thing to her study's door. She scanned her study—there was nothing to use as a weapon, other than perhaps an especially thick textbook. And she doubted she'd have a chance to swing it at him. He was far too quick.

"Jane… I know you're in here somewhere…" Loki's voice had a teasing lilt to it, like he was playing with a child. His condescension irked her, helping her forget a bit of her fear as she turned her anger against this demi-god who thought victory was so neatly in his grasp. Startling even herself, she wrenched the study door open, stepped out into the hall, and called with false bravado, "I'm right here—come and get me!"

"Was that really so difficult?" a silky voice purred over her shoulder. She whirled, finding Loki mere inches away. How did he move so fast? She hated how she had to crane her next to look up at him—he was a full head taller than she was at least.

"I'm so glad you came out," Loki continued, leaning against the doorframe and cutting off her escape route down the hall. Now the only place she could retreat would be into the study, and the only place the study led to was the bedroom… "I've waited so long to meet you-I'd hate to further delay what my brother promises is so pleasurable," he said, his eyes sweeping her body hungrily. "You must know how useless it is to resist."

"All I know is that you're a grade-A psychopath," Jane spit out. "You think you can just show up here and terrorize some innocent person who's never even met you, all because of some grudge you have against your brother? What is wrong with you?"

Loki just smiled wider. Oh, how he enjoyed her spirit—it would be such fun to break.

"If you think you can reason with me, you're sadly mistaken," he replied. "I don't bend my will for mere mortals. Besides—" he leaned down and whispered in her ear, his breath hot on her throat—"I doubt you're so innocent, Jane Foster."

Jane felt her breathing quicken but she refused to let him see her fear.

"Get off me," she snapped, pushing against his chest with all her might. He barely moved—and he felt terribly solid. "I'm not going to be part of this stupid game," she added, backing up into the study to put some distance between them. Of course he followed. "Besides, I heard you were such a grand manipulator—you wouldn't stoop to something so thuggish as to merely overpower me? Don't you have some sort of honor?"

At that, Loki actually let out a harsh laugh, which grated at Jane's very spine.

"Sweet Jane, you're so naive," he chuckled, gliding into the study and pushing the door shut behind him. "You seem determined to believe there's no true evil in any man." His eyes darkened. "But I'm not a mere man. And I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to shatter my brother completely. It's merely a bonus for me that you're such a lovely creature."

"You can't," Jane answered, hating how vulnerable she sounded. She was trying to sound brave, but the fear was beginning to wear through. "I'm a human being. I've got feelings. This isn't right. You—you just can't."

"I can do anything I want," Loki said with that terrible, terrible smile. "I'm a god. Tell me, Jane Foster, would it be so terrible to be loved by a god?"

Jane could tell by looking into his eyes that she'd find no remorse, no pity there. It was useless to argue with him. But there was no way she would just lay down and let him take what he wanted. He'd learn what it meant to mess with these "puny mortals."

She whirled to the nearest bookshelf, grabbing the first book within reach, and she hurled it at his head. Even the great god of mischief wasn't expecting that, and he dodged back too late to avoid being smacked on the shoulder. It was a mere annoyance to him, and his words dripped mockery as he focused his gaze back to Jane: "Did you really think—"

But Jane had already spun and sprinted towards the study's other door, leading to her bedroom. She burst into her bedroom, smashing into her dresser but hardly feeling the pain as she made a beeline for the other door. This was the last place she'd want to get caught by the maniac following her. If she could make it to the hall, she had a chance of making it to the basement, and that door was thicker. Maybe she could even call for help through the transdimensional circuit. She hadn't given her latest science project a real test before, but this would really be a perfect time…

"Ah, so here's where the scientist sleeps," Loki called out behind her. He wasn't pursuing her seriously; he sauntered into the bedroom carelessly, taking in the details: the posters of space, the glow-in-the-dark stars, the open books and half-eaten pop tarts, the purple bed covers. "I love learning more about you, Jane. I just want to get to know you more—intimately."


	5. Shooting Star

(Jane POV) Jane instantly took stock of her options as she fled out the bedroom door into the hall. Across the hall there was a bathroom. That was no good. She'd be cornered. The other option was the hallway back to the front room. On the far side of the front room was the door to the basement.

For now Loki seemed content to prowl her bedroom, but Jane had no idea how long that would last. Then an idea came to her. She reached for the bathroom door, opened it, and shut it again, loudly enough to make a slight noise. Then she began creeping down the hall. She wanted to run and get it over with, but she was afraid that would make more noise

As she tiptoed past the still-open study door she heard the hallway door to the bedroom open. Without thinking she darted into the study. She crouched by the side of her desk. From this angle, she would be able to see Loki after he stepped into the room and have enough time to flee into the bedroom. Since he would be leaving the bedroom to check the bathroom and hallway, she wasn't worried about the other door.

(Loki POV) Loki turned the doorknob at the end of the hall. Perhaps Jane Foster was less intelligent than he thought. He'd heard her shutting the door from across the bedroom, and she hadn't even locked the door.

"You can't keep hiding, rabbit," he said, standing in front of the closed door. "Face it like a warrior. You may find I'm not so unpleasant as you think."

He opened the door to reveal… an empty room. He wasn't overly familiar with this backwater planet, but he could divine the purpose of the room. Slightly perplexed, he stepped farther inside to ensure that Jane wasn't hiding somewhere. There was nowhere to hide. He ripped back the shower curtain and that was it.

Humiliation and rage flooded together inside him, along with a trickle of admiration for the woman who would dare try to trick the god of trickery and who succeeded. Then they were replaced with a new burst of mischief.

He would show her how it was done.

(Jane POV) Jane heard Loki rifling through her bathroom, but she didn't see how she could move from her position. At any moment, Loki was a single step from the hallway, and she had no way to know when he would make that step. Then she heard a footstep in the hallway. Loki had exited the bathroom. The bedroom door squeaked lightly. Then there was silence.

A little logic could tell her Loki's plan. He would know she couldn't have gone down the hall, since he would have seen her when he left the bedroom. That meant she must be in the study. Since he didn't know where she was in the study, he'd simply taken the quickest route back through the bedroom. At any moment he would be coming into the study through the bedroom door, which she was sitting right beside.

There was no time to be overly cautious. Loki already knew where she was, so her only chance was to get some distance from him before he entered the room. Jane hurried to the hallway, trying to preserve enough quiet for some element of surprise.

She fled down the hallway, turning around the corner to the main room.

Where she crashed straight into Loki.

(Loki POV) Loki smirked as Jane bounced off his chest.

"Didn't expect to see me here?" he asked as he grabbed her arm. "Did you think you'd outfoxed the god of trickery?"

Jane didn't say anything. She tried to pull away from him. She must have known it was useless, but he was glad she tried anyway. It gave him an excuse to grip her harder.

"Finally, we can get to know each other." Loki said. "But this is no place to meet your acquaintance. I prefer somewhere a little more discreet."

He wrapper his other arm around her waist, drawing her up slightly. He started walking back down the hall. Jane's feet skimmed the ground lightly like she was being swept along in a waltz.

He studied Jane as they went. Her face was pale but her eyes were pensive. She seemed to be evaluating how best to resist him while acknowledging his far superior strength and calculating the possibility of antagonizing him further. At present, she was tense and unyielding, but she made no move to impede their progress.

As he drew her into the bedroom, Loki savored the infinite possibilities for what would come next. Whatever he decided, it would be something Jane Foster would never forget.


	6. Starfire

As Loki swept her into the bedroom, Jane tensed, trying to brace against the floor to stop their movement—she was far too aware of Loki's intentions for that room. But the way he was holding her, she couldn't get the traction—and he was much too strong for her to stop, anyway.

Her response amused Loki, and he chuckled into her hair. "Such panic," he said, "towards something other women only dream of."

"You're delusional," Jane snapped, wrenching away from him so suddenly she was able to jerk one arm free. She instinctively reached for something to swing at him, but he caught her wrist easily and pulled her back against him, trapping both her arms under one of his. He held her so tightly that she could feel every part of him against her, wrapping her in his warmth and musky scent.

"Come now, Jane," he whispered in her ear, "would it truly be so terrible to share my bed? I can do things that would drive you mad with ecstasy."

As he spoke, his free hand slid around her waist, playing with the top of her jeans. He slipped his fingers under her shirt, following the curves of her body with skillful fingers.

"And I assure you," he continued, "my reputation of having a silver tongue is well-deserved."

With that, he lowered his head and kissed her neck, his lips cold against her skin. Jane quivered under his touch, willing herself to stay strong. Her mind swirled with emotions and dilemmas. As his fingers wandered down her stomach, smoothly inching closer to a more sensitive area, she felt her resistance crumbling as a dreamy sensation came over her.

Maybe it would be better this way. Maybe she should just let him do what he wanted and he would leave, and it wouldn't be so terrible. Surely it would be better than a hopeless fight? Anyone would understand. Thor would—

Thor.

Jane saw him in her mind as clearly as the last time she'd seen him on earth: tall, strong, brave, and good. So good. She'd only known him for three days, yet in those three days she'd seen enough of his character to know just how good he was. And when he had stood up to the Destroyer to protect her and the ones she loved, he'd completely stolen her heart.

She wouldn't let Loki do this to Thor.

"No," she said firmly, pulling away from Loki's touch. "I won't let you seduce me into forgetting Thor."

Behind her, Loki chuckled. "Suit yourself."

Before she realized what happening, he'd tossed her onto the bed. She bounced backwards into the wall, realizing with horror that since the bed was against the corner, she was backed into a corner too. And there was no getting around Loki.

"I'd rather hoped you wouldn't give in so easily—there's no fun in that," he said with a malicious grin, shrugging off his leather overcoat to reveal a looser black shirt underneath. "I will break that spirit."

He was at the bed in two long steps. Jane tried to scramble past him but he grabbed her leg and yanked her to him, swinging a leg across her to straddle her. She tried to push him off but was pinned down by his weight. Holding her wrists above her head to keep her still, he crushed his mouth against hers. Jane squirmed underneath him, hating his metallic taste and the heat of so much of his body pressed down against so much of hers.

"I admit, my brother does have good taste," Loki smirked when he finally allowed the kiss to break. "Don't look so hurt, Jane," he chuckled, running a finger down her jaw line. "Isn't one god as good as another? What mortal woman could claim two gods as bedfellows?"

Jane didn't answer, struggling wildly to be free of Loki's grasp, but as he watched her, a surge of realization hit him. Jane watched in horror as his expression changed.

"Oh, this is too rich," he laughed, eyes glinting with even more lust than before. "Don't tell me my thick-headed brother never even plucked his pretty flower?"

Jane felt tears of despair spring to her eyes but she tried to ignore them. "He was only here two days," she snapped.

"It's no wonder you were so hesitant to accept my attentions," he continued, sliding his hand down her neck and over her collarbone. His fingers wound around her shirt collar. "I'll be happy to finish what my brother started," he said, giving her shirt a vicious yank and ripping down the front.

He kissed her again, his weight so hard against her she felt like she was suffocating. When she tried to squirm away, he grabbed her hips, keeping her upper body pinned under his chest. But that was his undoing, since, assuming he had already won, he didn't bother to restrain her arms anymore. Jane realized this almost immediately, and she stopping struggling, letting him kiss her how he liked. Instead, she slowly reached up behind her head, where she knew her pillow was. More important than the pillow, she knew what was stashed underneath it: her kitchen knife.


	7. Supernova

Jane arched her back slightly, pressing into Loki's chest. She parted her lips slightly and let out a soft moan. She felt Loki's lips stretch into a grin. He shifted position and bit lightly at her lip. She toyed with the edge of the pillow, tensing her fingers. Loki cupped her chin with one hand, sliding it down across her neck. He slowed as he approached her chest.

And that's when she stabbed him.

She intended to hit him in the neck, since she wasn't sure she could puncture his skull, but he shifted upward just as she struck, so the knife hit him in the upper back, slightly below his left shoulder. She drove it in as hard as she could, twisting when she felt it enter flesh. She felt it slam against bone and heard a howl of pain from Loki. The she felt something clamp around her neck and roughly yank her up from the bed. She was flying through the air and smashing heavily into the wall on the other side of the room before she realized Loki had thrown her.

The force of the collision knocked her breath away and nearly knocked her out. She staggered at almost fell. Then she saw Loki's face, and that was enough to keep her on her feet. And at that moment she was glad he had thrown her, because now she was closer to the door.

Loki POV:

Loki felt Jane's lips draw apart, inviting him in. He was pleased. Finally she was realized what he was offering her. He nibbled at her lip while his hands explored her front, roaming toward her tantalizing breasts.

A starburst of pain from his shoulder interrupted his pleasure. He felt something plunge into his flesh, rending muscle and scraping bone. He cried out, as much from surprise as pain. As his mind realized it was Jane his body reacted by throwing her by the neck away from him and into a wall. The knife went with her part of the way, but when she hit the wall it flew off across the room.

For a second, everything stopped. Loki's mind boggled as he tried and failed to think of a punishment horrible enough to fit this crime. He lost his legendary composure and when he turned to look at Jane, his expression indicated that he was prepared to spend eternity figuring out how he was going to cause her a sufficient amount of pain.

"Ungrateful, sniveling bint." He spat. He stepped closer.

Jane darted through the door like a rabbit.

Loki stared after her, still utterly dazed by her impudence. Then he started after her. Part of him shied from the thought of sprinting basely like a hound, but his unprecedented rage spurred him on. He crossed the room in three steps, brushing his shoulder against the doorframe as he turned. It pulsated with pain. He welcomed it, allowing it to fuel his rage and sharpen his purpose.

As he ran, he tried to plan out exactly what he was going to do when he caught Jane. He had already intended to deflower her, so that wouldn't change, though now it would better be called ravaging. But that wasn't enough for such a scavenging cur. He thought back to all the mischief he'd done over the millennia. All of that was going to pale in comparison to this. When he was through, Jane Foster was going to beg to be his whore.

Jane reached the end of the hall and turned into the front room. With his longer legs, Loki was fast gaining on her, but when she turned and saw him sprinting headlong after her, her face tensed and went limp all at once, and she ran faster than he thought a Midgardian was capable of. She reached the basement door just as Loki rounded the corner. She tore it open and launched herself down the steps into the nearly pitch-black room.


	8. Starburst

_(Jane POV)_

Jane bounded through the doorway and yanked the door shut behind her, scrambling for the lock. She didn't even bother to yank the switch as she sprinted down the stairs; she knew the basement well enough to make her way through the dark.

The door was metal, left over from the old part of the house before it had been renovated in the 1970s. Before the kitchen had been updated, it had been little more than the entrance to the storm cellar, a giant basement that served both as a sanctuary from tornados and a place to store food for the winter.

Jane had set up her laboratory in the basement, a place she felt safe and peaceful and alone. There was a lab table set up near the steps, covered in papers and reference books. Next to the table was a large dry erase board with half-scribbled calculations, hastily written over each other. There were shelves full of chemicals scattered around the room, some in glass vials and some in metallic containers. A desk along the wall held microscopes and scales and glittering lab instruments. The floor was a minefield of boxes and cases and toolboxes and junk. She'd always planned to clean it but never got around to it.

And in the corner, by itself, was her transdimensional circuit.

She started working on it almost as soon as Thor had disappeared. She insisted it was so she could help S.H.I.E.L.D. communicate with other life forms, but she knew in her heart it was because she hoped to make contact with Thor again.

If she was truly honest, there was even more to it than that. The machine didn't just have a speaker or a screen—there was a platform to step onto. She was trying to create a bridge. Thor had told her there were different ways to reach his world, and she was determined to find one. For months, she'd worked tirelessly, but the closest she'd come was opening up a swirling abyss glittered with millions of stars. That was the problem—she didn't know how to guide the portal yet and open up a gate that would lead her where she wanted to go.

But now, she didn't care what portal she opened up. She easily wound her way through the boxes, reaching the machine and feeling for its control panel. It would need to turn on, and it would need to warm up, and it would need time to pull up a portal. But maybe, just maybe—it was as good a plan as any.

She turned the machine on, hearing its low purr as it began to vibrate slightly. It would take at least fifteen minutes for it to really turn on and respond to commands, though it already had a portal location programmed in—the last one she'd tried.

Above her head, she could hear Loki pounded against the door, shouting threats that would have made her heart freeze if she wasn't already so terrified. At least this door was harder to break down. It would buy her time. But she knew it wouldn't hold against Loki's fury forever. She had to find something to defend herself with or she'd be trapped in the basement with a murderous demi god.

"You can't escape me forever, Jane Foster!" Loki shouted from behind the door. "When I'm through with you, you'll wish your precious Thor had never come to earth! You'll curse his name!"

Jane crouched in the darkness, feeling the panic well up inside her and threaten to overpower her reason. She forced herself to take some deep breaths, which helped her calm down. She couldn't lose her head now.

There was a terrible wrenching sound like a train being ripped apart, and a shaft of light pierced the gloom. Loki had torn open the door.

Jane instinctively froze, huddled in the corner farthest from the steps. She heard the god's low, rich chuckle as he slowly descended the steps.

"Are we back to hide and seek, little mortal?" he called out, glancing around the darkness. His voice was soft as velvet, but there was a terrible undercurrent. "I found you once and I can find you again. And when I do, you can't imagine the things I'll do to you."

_(Loki POV)_

Loki scanned the darkness, his supernatural senses sharper than Jane realized. He didn't hear her—yet. He heard the faint humming coming from the corner, though, and it piqued his interest.

He took a step forward and crashed into one of the dozens of boxes littered along the floor. He stumbled and muttered a Norse curse but kept his footing.

"So that's your plan, my lovely little scientist," he said with a wry smile. "It will take more than a few obstacles to deter me."

He advanced more cautiously now, still stumbling but making progress. The woman could be anywhere, but if he listened hard enough… there! Above the drone of the strange vibrations in the corner, he heard it: breathing.

His smile widened. Poor sweet Jane was trying so hard to be quiet, but she had no idea how easily he could follow her breathing. And he was more skillful in the art of silence than a mere human. He would reach her before she ever knew what happened.

And when he did—oh, when he did… His anger had cooled somewhat after the first sharp spike brought on by the unexpected attack, but it was no less dangerous at a smolder. Part of him admired the earth woman's audacity and fortitude. He could see why his brother had been so smitten. But a darker, stronger part of him longed to crush that resilient spark. He wanted to strip her of everything and leave her crumbled on the floor, naked and humiliated and broken. It would be a long, terrible, excruciating process—and it made his blood burn with anticipation. There were so many things he could do to that soft, beautiful, helpless woman—violent things, sexual things, violent and sexual things.

Step by step, he drew closer to Jane like a shark circling a swimmer. Finally he was close enough he knew he could reach out and touch her. She must have sensed his presence, because he heard her stiffen. He almost chuckled at the futility of it all, but he didn't want to give away his position. It would be a delicious surprise.

_(Jane POV)_

Jane sensed him far before he grabbed her, and her heart plummeted. She didn't know how she knew, but she could feel his presence like smoke twisting around her. And with that recognition came the awful realization that he was going to get her.

Without a sound, she felt a hand lash out and grab her around the neck. She didn't even have the chance to grasp as Loki's fingers dull into her throat and lifted her off the ground. She scratched desperately at his fingers but it did no good. Perhaps the most terrible thing was not being able to see him—it was like being strangled by darkness itself.

"Found you, little cygnet," a voice drifted out of the darkness, filled with terrible malevolence. "I win. And now I get my prize."

Jane thrashed wildly, desperate to suck air into her screaming lungs. She felt herself being carried forward as Loki stepped backwards, leisurely picking his way back to the foot of the stairs where there was more light. It seemed like an eternity as she hung in space, fighting for air, and her vision began to dim.

"Ah, here we go," Loki said, noticing the dangling light cord for the first time and reaching up with a casual grab to pull it. "I prefer to see this next part."

Light flooded the basement, bringing the demi god into sharp focus. It was hard for Jane to focus on his words—everything was melting together. She still tried to break free, but her muscles felt so groggy.

Loki watched her with amusement. "Don't worry, dearest, I won't let you die—not yet, anyway. We're going to have a lot of fun together first."

He released her and she crashed against the lab table and bounced onto the ground, where she clutched her throat and sucked in air. Everything hurt, and she couldn't stop tears of pain and terror from escaping her eyes. Loki grinned down at her, terrible in his absolute power.

"Ah, now there's a better position for Thor's beloved," he said. "It fills my head with all manner of pleasurable fantasies… well," he added with a wry chuckle, "they won't be merely fantasies for long. Come on, little human, show your god some adoration."

Jane grit her teeth together as her terror was replaced by fury. This demi god thought he could come to earth and take whatever he wanted and hurt whoever he wanted and by God, she'd had enough of it. She pushed herself to her feet, legs still so shaky she had to grab the lab table for support. But there was no way she was going to stay on her knees in front of Loki.

"Go to hell," she hissed.

He frowned, the amusement dancing in his eyes quickly replaced by something harder. "The battle is already lost, woman," he said, voice sharp as glass. "You'd do well to know your place and beg for mercy. If you please me well enough, I'll let you live."

Jane felt an insane giddiness well up inside her as she truly decided to stop fearing the demi god in front of her. If she was going to die, she was going to die. But she would do it standing up. Gathering all her courage and determination and insane bravado, she drawled out, "Go screw yourself… you arrogant. Spineless. Pathetic. _Bastard._"

Suddenly, the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. Loki started to shake, his eyes filling with insane rage—and lethal hate. Jane had meant to defy him and just get the ordeal over with. She never expected this result.

"How dare you?" he snarled, pulling back an arm and striking her so hard across the face that she spun into the wall. Pain exploded up across her cheekbone as though the bone itself had snapped. She gasped in shock, barely able to register what reaction she'd caused.

Before she had time to even understand what happened, Loki was on top of her, grabbing her by the hair and flinging her back up against the lab table so hard the breath was knocked out from her. Her head felt like it was on fire. She straightened up and made a desperate lunge for the stairs, but Loki was already grabbing her by the hips and smashing her into the desk, where she bounced off onto the cold ground. She saw him advancing and crawled backwards, terror overriding all other thoughts.

"You wretched quim," he spat. "You have no right! I am a god! And you are nothing—just a pretty bauble that caught my brother's attention for a day. He won't remember you in a month. There's a reason he never came back for you."

Jane tried to block out his wicked words as she kept backing up. Her mind screamed at her to do something—anything! She could never escape like this. She needed a plan. She needed to—

Suddenly Loki lashed out, kicking her right between her legs. Jane instinctively doubled over, the pain threatening to knock her out. But as soon as she did, Loki kicked her again, this time catching her under the ribs. She felt like she'd been stabbed by a butcher knife.

Her mind threatened to stop functioning as she was enveloped in a world of pain. Loki grabbed her by the hair again, lifting her and slamming her into the desk. She whirled, trying to make a dash for the stairs, but he was already on top of her, pinning her between the desk and his body. With her free arm, she grabbed for anything to defend herself, but Loki caught her under the shoulder and jerked viciously. There was an almost inaudible pop as excruciating pain seared through her left side like a thousand stinging wasps and she screamed uncontrollably, arching against his body.

"That's right, Midgardian, scream for me," he growled, yanking on her dislocated shoulder again and sending a fresh wave of agony up her arm. She screamed again, feeling her legs start to buckle.

"Stop, please!" she pleaded, forgetting her pride and resolve. She just wanted him to stop hurting her.

He laughed then, a heartless, pitiless laugh. "Begging won't do you any good," he replied with a terrible smile, his fingers raking down her front and tearing away the remainder of her shirt. He forced his legs between hers, pushing her up onto the desk so that she was flat on her back, her legs dangling over the sides. "You'll learn what happens when you defy your master," he continued, grinding himself against her as he reached for her jean zipper. His fingers slipped under her jeans as he groped for the top button. Jane jerked franticly, trying to kick out with her legs, but he just drove into her hard, grabbing her throat with his free hand forcing her to look into his gleaming eyes.

"Enough games, scientist," he said, his voice husky with an awful mix of lust and hate. "We still have so much to learn about each other. I will tear you apart from the inside out."


	9. Black Hole

Jane stared up at Loki. Every breath ached and every movement brought a new burst of pain. Her arms and upper body were pinned. She had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. She realized that she had no idea how she could get out of this one.

_Well, I guess this is it. _She thought. _I guess he's going to take me like a cheap hooker. I can't stop that. But I can do my best to make it unpleasant. _

She looked straight into Loki's eyes.

"Is this the only way you can get women?" she asked.

Loki looked up from her jeans.

"By holding them down and beating them into submission?"

The hand that held the zipper clenched into a fist. The one that had been pinioning her drew back to strike her.

Leaving his neck wide open.

Jane lunged forward and clamped her teeth into his throat. He reared backward, carrying her with him. She felt his blood in her mouth and running down her chin as she bit harder. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he coughed lightly.

She felt one arm grab her hair and another circle her waist. There was a dull ripping sound as Loki's flesh gave away instead of her jaw and she flew back into a pile of cardboard boxes with a strip of Loki still in her mouth.

She leapt to her feet. Loki was already coming for her, staggering slightly as he gripped his bleeding throat. He was trembling with savagery like a bow stretched to its breaking point.

Jane ran across the basement floor, flinging anything she could reach at Loki to slow him down. He just looked confused at the cardboard boxes. The wrench was a little more helpful.

When she reached the transdimensional circuit Loki was still halfway across the room. She frantically pressed the necessary buttons to call up the portal. The machine gave a quiet hum for a moment and then lay still. She turned around.

An abyss filled with stars greeted her. The portal, about four feet in diameter, was slightly translucent. She saw Loki's vague, darkened silhouette in it as he lurched forward.

Jane crumpled to the ground. She'd done it. She'd opened a portal to another world.

A one-sided portal.

Loki POV:

Loki felt the last of his charm and decorum leave him. He had no time for them. As he limped toward Jane, who was fiddling with some primitive Midgardian contraption, he reconsidered his plans. He still intended to break her in every way he could think of, but he was beginning to realize that she was going to make him pay in blood for every victory he won. It was time to get the job done and leave this awful place behind.

He wasn't sure why Jane hadn't run for the stairs. She couldn't think her pathetic technology could stop a being who traveled the stars. He watched as she continued to press buttons and flip switches.

She turned, like she expected something to have come from her machine. There was nothing but air between them. She folded in on herself and curled on the ground.

"You're out of tricks, Jane Foster." Loki couldn't help but slow long enough for that. His voice was reedy and ragged. His throat ached and blood trickled out as he spoke. "I am going to shatter you like crystal. You can't withstand me. I am a _god." _And he lunged for her.

Jane POV:

Jane sobbed on the floor, trying to look like she was utterly broken. It wasn't hard. She turned her head to peek at Loki, who was still lurching her way. He stopped for one final taunt, then pounced forward. As he cut through the air, she looked up at him and smiled.

It was quite a thing to watch him reach the portal. He pressed in and suddenly, part of him wasn't there. It wasn't cut off and it didn't vanish. It just wasn't there. In less than a second he had passed entirely into the portal, and he was simply gone.

Jane grabbed the top of the circuit with her good arm and hauled herself up. She hurriedly shut down the portal. Then she shut the machine off entirely. Then she unplugged it. She would have smashed it if she didn't still hold hope for Thor.

When she was completely sure the portal was closed, she slid back to the ground and leaned against the circuit. She felt at once completely at peace and entirely overwhelmed. She decided to take an inventory of her situation.

Most importantly, Loki was gone. She wasn't confident he couldn't find his way back, since he'd fallen from the sky at the start of this whole nightmare, but it was a long time between Thor's disappearance and Loki's arrival. She was confident she'd have time to get to someone who could help.

She wasn't critically wounded. Her body ached from being thrown around. Her ribs throbbed and she supposed they might have been bruised or cracked. The worst was her arm. She didn't know enough about medicine to try to pop it back into place, so she tried to hold it steady with her other hand.

She sat there for a few minutes, dazed and partially in shock. She didn't feel much of anything except a general sense of relief from some great danger. She dimly thought that perhaps emotions would come later, after the adrenaline and other hormones normalized.

She looked dispassionately at the empty air which had held the portal. Looks like she'd had one more trick than Loki had reckoned on.


	10. Rising Star

_One month later_

Jane punched new coordinates into the transdimentional circuit, crossing her fingers and hoping that _this _time would be it.

She'd started working feverishly on her machine as soon as she'd been released from the hospital. After the shock had worn off, she'd managed to climb up the stairs and stagger down the road towards her neighbors', glancing over her shoulder the whole way in the irrational fear that Loki was going to pounce on her any second. But halfway there, she'd gotten picked up by a car, and the driver had rushed her to the hospital.

The damage hadn't been nearly as bad as she feared, though. She was right about the shoulder and the ribs—three had been cracked. But otherwise, it was just a lot of bruises and scrapes. She'd been released shortly after, picked up by Agent Coulson, who had arrived only hours after she'd been checked in for observation. He had barely left her side since, and when she was well enough to go, he'd escorted her to a high-security facility in Phoenix. It was furnished with a luxury apartment and, more important, a full laboratory. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had gone to her house and brought everything from her basement to the new lab, too.

Now, she was nearly healed, though she still had to take it easy to avoid overexerting herself, and she still had nightmares sometimes. But she was steadily improving, and the nightmares were coming less frequently.

Her work helped keep her mind off the painful memories. She'd made great breakthroughs in that short period of time, especially with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s generous funding. They backed her experiments one hundred percent. Whatever she asked for, they delivered.

The portal beamed to life, but all that shone out was a dazzling expanse of stars. Jane frowned in irritation and disappointment. One more wrong combination. But she wasn't going to give up hope. She'd come too far to give up now.

"Don't worry, Thor," she whispered. "I _will _find you."

She shut down the circuit, too tired to continue any more that night. Then she climbed up onto the roof, which had quickly become her favorite place to relax. Coulson didn't like her going up there, but he left it alone.

And she lay back and watched the stars.

-_The end-_


End file.
